Critiquing the Critics; Why so Serious?
I have read the reviews, especially the negative ones. Thanks to thick skin (a.k.a mild Batman bias); it will not spoil my experience. If anything, I pondered the curious nature of reviews, the reviewers and found flaws in their observations.
Quite simply, the movie is 165 minutes long, they saw it once and are now suddenly an authority on it. Read it again, 2 hours and 45 minutes (warning: do not drink coffee prior to viewing). I am entirely convinced that reviewers that observed issues with the plot after one viewing must have eidetic memories and those that found issue with pacing or character development had to pee the entire time.
Obvious sarcasm aside, negativity is an enviable nature in the interpretation of art and life as a whole. You cannot fight negativity with negativity, what you learned in science (- -=+) does not apply to the perception of an individual.
Instead, combat negativity with mild humor by insisting that reviewers with smaller bladders are more suited to 80-90 minute Pixar movies (not that there is anything wrong with that). Disturbing personal insults and death threats are ridiculous over reactions. If everyone liked Batman, it would make 500 million in the first weekend (fingers crossed).
Critics have a job to do, just like the rest us. The 87% percent on Rotten Tomatoes is hardly going to influence anyone to stay away, especially those with their spandex in a bunch because someone did not like it. After all, no such thing as bad publicity. All that extra attention in the final hours is not a worst case, anyone on the fence is now more likely to see the positive reviews.
If you are reading those reviews, chances are you are curious, like me. The approach to their reviews left me pondering one additional aspect. This is what I am most looking forward to following the movie; the conversation, the debate and the inevitable question, what is next?
To kick it off, if you took “Batman” out of the movie, does the fan/viewer/critic perception change when you focus solely on the core of the story, Bruce Wayne.
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